Defeat leaves Wokes rock bottom

Surrey Championship Division Two Woking and Horsell v Purley ANOTHER poor performance, another defeat and the same old problems saw Woking and Horsell hit rock bottom of the Surrey Championship Division Two at Brewery Road on Saturday.

Magician at work: Damien Honey in action during Woking and Horsell’s defeat at home to Purley.

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Having failed to contain the visitors on a superb pitch the hosts were bowled out for a dismal 121 and skipper Richard Walsh admitted he is at a loss to work out why his batsmen are not performing this season. “For me it’s gone past the angry stage and I’m just disappointed as we are badly letting each other down,” he said. “OK so Purley were a good side and will finish in the top six but to be bowled out the way we were on an absolute belter of a track was terrible. “At times we got ourselves into winning positions but at the moment we just can’t kick on from that.” Walsh won the toss and immediately inserted the opposition on what looked a cracking wicket. The Morley brothers, Glenn and Ross took the new ball and it was Glenn who struck first bowling Woodcock early on to bring Walker to the crease. He instantly found the wicket and the bowling to his liking. Walsh made a double change bringing on Peter Richardson and Damien Honey and it nearly brought an instant result as Walker played one big shot too many but was put down at mid-of. This proved a major turning point of the match. Walker then dominated the bowling on what was becoming a bowler friendly wicket passing his 50 in 45 balls. With Woking working on the other batsmen, trying to keep Walker off the strike, it was Richardson who made the first breakthrough having Zaman caught at slip by Glenn Morley. When Walsh gobbled another up at first slip off Honey Woking had reduced Purley to 75 for 3 with Walker on 55. Wickets started to fall but Walker had just reached a gem of a hundred and by now Honey had picked up three wickets. It was the spinner who got the prize wicket of Purley’s chief runmaker, having him stumped by Dean Faulkner for 108 with the score on 143. This brought together Dwarka and Hamilton and the pair rode their luck as they despatched the bowling to all parts putting on 95 for the seventh wicket just as Woking thought they had put a stranglehold on the scoring rate. The declaration was finally made after 54 overs with the score on 241 for 8 with Honey finishing with 4 for 71 in 20 overs. With Woking having to double their highest score of the season to win, a solid start was needed but yet again both openers were removed in the first five overs bringing together Ian Meyer and Glenn Morley. The pair knew they had to fire but Purley had their tails up and were bowling a good line and length but Morley was first out for 12 with the score on 32 bringing the out of form Richardson to the crease. The pair then started to re-build but with the score on 68 Richardson played a poor shot and was caught at cover point. First team debutante Adam Portlock joined Meyer who after a scratchy start began to look more like himself but just as he approached his 50, a mix-up between the pair resulted in Meyer being run out for 47 with the score on 91. A draw was all the home team could achieve but with 15 overs remaining Walsh and Ross Morley fell in quick succession to leave the hosts hanging on at 107 for 7. Portlock needed to stay in but he was bowled by an unplayable delivery from Hamilton and with two overs remaining the innings was wrapped up. “We didn’t bowl that well and that is something we’ve been doing OK on in recent weeks although Damo (Honey and Peter (Richardson) did well,” added Walsh. “As for more changes to the side, that’s possible but the team will get it right and together we will turn this around. “There are 14 games left and I know we are capable of winning the majority of them. Confidence is low at the moment but the team and I must pick ourselves up as we have another tough game away to Egham on Saturday. Result: Woking and Horsell 121 (0pts) Purley 241 for 8 (13pts) (Woking and Horsell lost by 120 runs)